Ideas for this bench vise??

put the main screw back in and use the vices own power to close the jaws more, once it starts to move it should be loose enough to pry open
 
ConradH said:
I would wedge at the sides, not the jaws, so the force is less of a moment. You can make some screw jacks out of a few large bolts and nuts, just cut the bolts to the right length (so they just fit in) and wrench the nuts against the opposing surface.
Click to expand...


That is freaking brilliant, and I will do exactly that.

bshorey said:
Dumb question, but are you sure you got the screw all the way out, and didn't break it off? Can you see all the way through?

bs
Click to expand...

Very sure. It came out neatly and cleanly, once I freed the retaining screw and plate.

851 SP3 said:
Reed (Erie, PA) 204 I got for cheap. Filthy, nasty, rusty, poorly-ground (smoothed) jaw faces. Stripped it bare to the last piece, cleaned, glass-beaded, fitted, adjusted, primed, painted. The original jaw faces were forge-welded in place and are hard as, well, something. They were ruined so I looked at options. I found a guy in Colorado that make replacement inserts from tool steel and hardens them. I bought a set that was 'close enough', machine the old ones out, drilled/tapped/fitted/installed. Lubed all that needs it, reassembled. It's a keeper along with my 50's Columbian 604 (Cleveland) and my dad's (grandfather's?) Morgan 335 (Chicago).
Click to expand...

That's a beautiful restoration!! Thank you for sharing that.

stan65cutlas said:
put the main screw back in and use the vices own power to close the jaws more, once it starts to move it should be loose enough to pry open
Click to expand...

Since only a small plate and a single screw hold that main screw in, I won't be trying that. I did reinsert it after the vinegar bath, just to see if I had any motion at all. Only a half turn, and the jaws never moved. Force it, and risk damaging the screw.

Then it's a boat anchor.

Oh, and I know the handle wasn't bent from someone trying to use a prybar on it. It was straight as an arrow, and after the fire, drooped about 30 degrees.

Conrad's suggestion about the screws is what I'm going to try this weekend, as well as beating and banging on the casing. Hoping that KROIL shows up today.
 
@851 SP3 If you don't mind me asking, did you use an oil based paint pen to letter this, or what?? It looks great!

upload_2019-1-15_16-27-30.png
 
Last edited:
We used hydrochloric or muriatic acid to dissolve rust on old engine parts. You can mix it with water and soak it for about 8 hours. Stuff is toxic so use good ventilation. Not sure of the mix ratio, stronger the better in your case. Rinse with water after removal and immediately spray with preservative, like an oil or CRC.
 
grillebilly said:
We used hydrochloric or muriatic acid to dissolve rust on old engine parts. You can mix it with water and soak it for about 8 hours. Stuff is toxic so use good ventilation. Not sure of the mix ratio, stronger the better in your case. Rinse with water after removal and immediately spray with preservative, like an oil or CRC.
Click to expand...

I have considered that. I do believe I'll end up trying a variety of things, in increasing amounts of danger to the item.
 
onwardjames said:
Jaws are frozen where they sat so many years ago, but are open about 3/4 of an inch.
Click to expand...

So sounds like the sliding surfaces are the things that are locked. Penetrating oil, pressure, heat are going to be required. Pity you don't have a shop press. Gentle use of one of those could be a real benefit.
 
Last edited:
Well, UPS failed me again. No KROIL to get things going, but I did beat on the sides with a slim piece of wood to distribute and not distort. Got some PB blaster in there a little better, but still no movement.

Hopefully this weekend I can have at it. The space between the jaws is only the width of my fingers, but below that, there's a nice area, and more linear to the two pieces that are stuck. Will go to hardware store and get some thick bolts and nuts, see if I can get it to open a bit.

Thanks for all the advice, got a feeling this is going to need all the tricks in the book.
 
onwardjames said:
Well, UPS failed me again. No KROIL to get things going, but I did beat on the sides with a slim piece of wood to distribute and not distort. Got some PB blaster in there a little better, but still no movement.

Hopefully this weekend I can have at it. The space between the jaws is only the width of my fingers, but below that, there's a nice area, and more linear to the two pieces that are stuck. Will go to hardware store and get some thick bolts and nuts, see if I can get it to open a bit.

Thanks for all the advice, got a feeling this is going to need all the tricks in the book.
Click to expand...
Have you tried soaking it in Evapo-Rust? It's non-toxic and does an excellent job removing rust from steel. It's a chelating agent commonly used for cleaning up rusted auto parts.
 
Conrad H's idea of making a screw jack out of a bolt and nut is excellent !

You could also use two bolts, with one nut in the middle. Measure the opening between the jaws, divide by 2. See if there is a common bolt that length, or slightly shorter.

Screw the bolts into the nut so they touch in the middle. Then just back out on the bolt heads while they're pressing against the jaws.
 
toxcrusadr said:
I like the idea of putting some continuous pressure on it, then using impact in some form. Surprising how well that works on a lot of things. I first noticed it when knocking pallets apart. You can bang on a board with 5 nails in it and it doesn't move. Stand on it, and tap the same spot, and the nails start to pull out. The 200+lb of constant force is added onto the peak of the hammer blow.

I hope it doesn't break though.

I was thinking electrolysis, but if you turn rust between two pieces of steel back into iron, what have you done but weld the pieces together? Or does it not work that way?
Click to expand...

Fixed for my fat ass:biggrin:
 
Kingfisher said:
Have you tried soaking it in Evapo-Rust? It's non-toxic and does an excellent job removing rust from steel. It's a chelating agent commonly used for cleaning up rusted auto parts.
Click to expand...

I have not, but will keep in mind!! Thanks!

BigElCat said:
Conrad H's idea of making a screw jack out of a bolt and nut is excellent !

You could also use two bolts, with one nut in the middle. Measure the opening between the jaws, divide by 2. See if there is a common bolt that length, or slightly shorter.

Screw the bolts into the nut so they touch in the middle. Then just back out on the bolt heads while they're pressing against the jaws.
Click to expand...
I'm leaning towards using a comealong on the hitch of my pickup, and above that, another hooked to a tree branch, tension it up, and coat with KROIL. Then smack the living shit out of it with a chunk of 2x4. With it suspended and under tension, and hopefully the lubricants helping, then I'll use the bolts and the nut trick.

ooba tooba said:
Keep us posted. Was given a 40s or 50s Craftsman bullet nose vice I plan to restore.
Click to expand...
Sweet!! I love those old Craftsman bullet noses!
 
IME ATF & acetone dont always like to stay mixed very well,so it's not always the best DIY mix for soaking things.
Soak the thing in ATF & diesel 50/50 mix -or- alternatively you can try a 50/50 mix of ATF & brake fluid.
If either of those does'nt do the trick then it's likely time for some DIY electrolysis ( <<< lots of info about this on the innerwebs...).
FYI: Tractor forums are a great place for suggestions on solving this sorta problem.

And if your trying to help it along with some judicious BFH smacks,consider using an air hammer instead.
And where you smack it is as important as how hard you smack it.
You want to hit it where the two pieces are frozen together to try and break lose the rust's bond.
Which is a lot like what is done when a floating brake rotor freeze to the hub.

Tips from a life long gearhead & former ASE master tech...

Good luck & HTH.

Bret P.
 
1. My wife has been buying cast iron pans and puts them in the oven on the cleaning cycle to clean them up. That would heat up all of the way thru.
2. When I worked in the power plant some 3" studs had broken. Day shift got a 1" hole in them, afternoons got them to 2 1/2". My night shift heated them up with a couple of rosebud torches and then hit them with a couple cans of canned cold. They just shattered.
Explaining to your wife what you are going to do with the oven may be the hard part.
 
I've had good luck with Marvel Mystery Oil to loosen rusty bolts.

I used to have some military penetrating oil in an OD spray can with a lot of numbers on it. That stuff was great! I sprayed it on a rusty emergency brake equalizer under my '51 Ford F-1. It hadn't been used in decades, and one spray left overnight and it turned by hand. If I still had any left I'd send it to you. If you have any active duty buddies try checking to see if that stuff is still around. The military has some stuff.
 
The best canned penetrating oil I've ever used (and I've used them all) was some OE Ford stuff us techs used @ the Ford dealership in the early 90's.
That stuff was amazing,but it stained the he!! outta everything it came into contact with.
Even concrete,stuff was a dark blue/purplish color.

They discontinued it sometime in the mid 90's when I was bouncing back & forth between SE.Wi. & CEN.Tx.
Tried to get more when I was working in a different Ford dealership parts dept (late 90's). No mas...
If I had know they were gonna stop carrying it I would've bought a couple cases of it.

But I digress.

Bret P.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom